Supporting-harness for artificial arms.



W. T. GARNES. v

SUPPORTING HARNESS FOR ARTIFICIAL ARMS.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE'], 1911.

' Patented Mar. 18, 1913.

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LIMB COMPANY, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, A CORPOBATIGN OF MISSOURI.

Specification of-Letters Patent.

SUPPORTING-HARNESS Fora ARTIFICIAL ARMS.

Patented Mar. 1 .8, @913.

Application filed June 7, 1911. Serial No. 631,806.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, WILLIAM T. Gamers, a citizen of the'United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of'Jackson and State of Missouri,'have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Supporting Harness for Artificial Arms; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, forming part of this specification. I

This invention relates to artificial limbs,

and consists in the construction and arartificial arm harness illustrated in Figs.

Ito and 17 of my application for a patent for artificial arm and hand, filed in the U. S. Patent Ofiice August 1, 1910, Serial No. 574,964, and allowed March 9, 1.911, but'not claimed. therein, with such additions theretoas .are necessary to,support an entire artr licial arm in cases where the amputation is above the elbow joint.

In these drawings, A, indicates the lower portion of an artificial arm, and A, the upper portion thereof, which pOItlOllS are lunged together at, a, a,; to form an' elbow. joint. The upper portion A, is adapted to receive the stump in the usual manner. To support the arm upon the stump a broad strap or pad, B, is placed over the shoulder of the wearer and a short strap, 1), is secured thereto, preferably by stitching, which strap, 7), reaches downward over the point of the shoulder and is secured to'the upper portion, A, of the artificial arm. From the front side of the pad, B, a strap, l, extends over the. shoulder of the wearer across the back of the shoulders and through under the opposite arm and up over the front of the shoulder, and diagonally downward across the back of the shoulders, and terminutes in an adjustable loop, a, to which is attached the elbow-joint operating cord, C,

of the artificial arm; To the intermediate portion of the strap, C, before going under the arm of the wearer, I secure a strap, D, at, cl, (see Fig. 2) which is also secured to the diagonal portion of the strap, C, at, c, and passes over the shoulder of the maimed arm and terminates in a loo-p, d, to which acord, D, for operating the hand mechanism ofthe artificial arm is attached. .To the strap, (1, at 0 see Fig. 1-, I'secure a strap, E, which extends across-the chest of the wearer and terminates in a 100 ,c, to

which another cord, E, for operating the finger mechanism of the artificial hand is and extends across the back of the neck of the wearer (see Fig. 2) and is secured to the 'straps, F and C back of the wearers neck at f and f To the strap, D, at the point, d I secure a strap, G, which extends across the wearers back andis secured to the rear end of the pad, B, and to the member A,

of the artificial ari From the drawings and foregoing description itwill be apparent that the supporting pad, B, will 'be securely held in place over the maimed shoulder by the straps, C, F, and G, by reason of the strap, C, passing around the opposite shoulder, as shown, and that the pad, B, will hold the member, A, of the artificial arm securely in place in the stump.

In operation when the harness and arm have been secured in place as hereinbefore described, and the elbow operating cord, C, secured tothe loop, 0, (see Fig. 2) and the cords, D and E, secured to the'loops, (Z, and e, of. the straps, D and E, (see Fig. 1) if the wearer will swing the stump having the artificial arm thereon, forward, tension will be put upon the cord, C, which will cause the elbow joint of the artificial arm to bend and raise its hand upward. Likewise a thrusting forward of the' opposite shoulder or a dropping of the maimed shoulder will cause a tension on the cord, D,

to operate the fingers of the hand, while a throwing backward of the maimed shoulder will cause a tension on the cord, E, to p- 'erate the wrist lock of the hand.

vention so as to enable others to construct and operate the same, what Iv claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent is:

1. In an artificial arm the combination of a strap member extending from an operating cord in the front of such arm over the shoulder above said arm and diagonally across the back thence forward under the opposite arm, thence upward in front of and backward over said opposite shoulder, and

thence diagonally downward across the back to an operating, cord in the back of said artificial arm, substantially set forth.

2. In an artificial arm the combination ,of a strap member leading from an operating cord in the front of the artificial arm up over the shoulder above said arm thence down across theback and forward under the opposite arm, thence upwardly in front of'and backward over said shoulder, thence diagonally across the back'of the wearer to an operating cord in the back of said arm, and a branch strap secured to the first named strapat a point where itpasses upwardly in front of the shoulder opposite to the maimed arm, and extending from said point across the chest of the wearer to an operating cord in the front of the artificial arm, substantially as and forthe purpose set-forth.

3. In an artificial arm the combination of a pad on the shoulder of the wearer above said arm, a strap member having a bifurcated end, one branch of which is secured to said pad and the other branch leadingforwardly over the shoulder above and downwardly to an operating cord in the .front of said artificial arm, and the main stem of said strap member passing forwardly under .the'shoulder opposite to said artificial arm,

thence upwardly in front of, thence backwardly over said shoulder and diagonally downwardly across the back to an operating cord in the back of the artificial arm, substantially as and-"for the purpose set forth.

4. In an artificial arm the combination of a shoulder-pad above said arm, a strap. member having a bifurcated end, one branch under the arm opposite to the maimed arm,

and upwardly in front of and backwardly over the shoulder opposite the maimed arm, and diagonally across the back of the wearer to an operating cord in the back of the arm, and a strap member secured tothe first named strap member in front of the shoulder opposite the maimed arm and extending thence across the breast of the wearer to an operating cord in the front of the artificial arm, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. Inan artificial arm the combination of a shoulder-pad, means to connect said pad with said artificial arm,-a bifurcated strap member one branch of which is secured to said pad, and the other branch of which passes forwardly over the shoulder of the maimed arm and is connected to an operating cord in the front of the artificial arm, and the main stem of which strap member passes forwardly under the arm opposite to the artificial arm, and thence upwardly in front of and backward over the shoulder opposite the artificial arm and diagonally downward across the back to an operating cord in the back of the artificial arm, a sec ond strap member secured to the first named strap member in frontof the shoulder and extending diagonally across the breast and secured to an operating cord in the front of the artificial arm, a brace-strap F, secured to the first named strap member at the back of the wearer, and to the front end of said shoulder-pad, means to ccnnect said bracestrap F, with said artificial arm, and a sec-' ond brace-strap G, secured to the first named strap-member and extending across the back and secured to the rear end of said shoulder-pad, and means to connect the same with said artificial arm, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I afi ix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

IVILIJAM T. CAR-NBS. \Vitncsses:

Lxnmay HARWOOD, FANNm O. Rurnn'r.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

I Washington, D. C. 

